


I'll be damned.

by LittleLuxxie



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Ruthless (Mass Effect), Sibling Love, Sibling Rivalry, Spacer (Mass Effect), War Hero (Mass Effect)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-02
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-05-04 15:21:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5338976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleLuxxie/pseuds/LittleLuxxie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Commander Shepard's cruiser is in dry dock after a fight. He finally gets time for some shore leave. Plans to spend it with his friends in Chora's Den. When they're there he gets some news.</p><p> </p><p>AU where the both female and male Shepard exsists.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll be damned.

He could hear the base from far off in the alley, long before he could see the door to Chora's Den. He was finally done with work and could take sometime off for shore leave. Peyton and Stevenson was already supposed to be at the bar, he had said he'd meet them there later. Three days ago they had dry docked on the Citadel after a nasty run in with batarian pirates. The ship, the SSV Edmonton, had taken a bad hit and needed repairs. Since they were closer to the Citadel, he had decided not to risk the longer flight to Arcturus.

He got through the door and searched for his friends. He only threw the asari dancers a quick glance. They weren't really his cup of tea. After sometime he located Peyton's exaggerated dancing. Stevenson was close by, but it seemed he didn't want to be connected with her. Shepard made his way over to them. He danced up behind Peyton, which made both of his friends burst out laughing. Say what you will about Peyton's dancing skills, his was the far worst anyday. 

“Damn, Shepard. You look like an idiot, stop that.” Peyton said, and hit him on the arm when he swayed his hip against her.  
“Finally made it of the ship then?” Stevenson yelled at him over the lound music.  
“Finally was the word. I need a drink.” Shepard answered and made his way over to the bar. He gestured to the woman behind the bar and she handed him three beers. He gave his friends, who had followed over to the bar, one each. They drew back a bit from the counter. 

Shepard took a swig from he's beer and looked around. He noticed something behind the bartender, it was bullet holes in the wall. And was that dried blood spattered around them? He glanced around and saw even more, leaning to the side he saw the door to the backroom. There the walls were full of holes. He hadn't noticed it before, but now he saw that several of the furnitures looked like they had got a rough handling. Trouble was to be expected at Chora's Den, but gunfire wasn't part of the usual routine. He pointed it out to Stevenson who stood next to him. Stevenson nodded and answered his silent question.  
“There was a shooting two days ago. Rumor is that Fist have been killed! Probably some underground gang quarrel.”  
“Damn.”  
“They were only closed for a few hours.” Peyton added. “They had barely cleaned out the bodies before they were up and running again.”  
“I'm so glad I'm not C-Sec. I wouldn't wanna sort such a mess out.” Shepard said, shaking his head.

The night went on. They drank and joked with each other. A few men came up to hit on Peyton, but she just shook them off. She wasn't intrested tonight. Shepard made a joke about how he's hurt nobody has come to hit on him. Stevenson pointed out that they probobly seen his breif dance moves. Behind the bar there was a TV-screen running the news. Shepard didn't pay it much attention, until he saw a familiar face appear on screen.

The red haired woman was giving an interview it seemed, but he couldn't hear what it said. She had her professional giving-interview-face on, he had seen it too many times after Elysium to not recognize it. She was annoyed, the little pucker in the corner of her mouth told him so. Nobody else would see it, but he knew her too well to miss it. Wonder what the interview was about. The picture changed and he saw the woman in full-length, all geared up in her turquoise N7 armor. She stood face-to-face with the Council. The camera swooped over the surroundings. He had never been at the top of Citadel tower, but he deduced it must be where they were. This was a surprise, last he heard she was supposed to be on a stealth mission with Anderson in the Traverse.

He walked up to the bar, got the bartenders attention and gestured to the TV.  
“Can you turn the volume up?” He asked, but she started to protest and he lost his patience. This seemed to be important and he needed to know.  
“Damn it. Just turn the fucking volume up!” He snapped and the bartender frowned but did as he said.  
“What is it?” Stevenson asked him, but Shepard didn't answer. He listened intently on the news cast.  
“ _... surprising new development._ ” A reporters voiceover said. Then he could hear the Asari Councilour. “ _You are the first human Spectre, Commander. This is a great accomplishment for you and your entire species._ ”

Shepard's jaw dropped as he saw the woman accept and thank the Council for the honor. Then the interview with her rolled up again. The reporter tried to make her look bad, a tool against humanity for the Council. He had to admitt he was impressed with her, for not punching the reporter in the face. But it wasn't her style, instead she answered the questions between clenched teeth. Deniying that she somehow had turned her back on humanity with this.  
_Would've been more fun if she had punched her_ , he thought as he continued watching the piece about the First Human Spectre.

“But isn't that...?” Peyton asked with her eyes fixed on the screen.  
“It is.” Shepard answered in a voice mixed with amazement, surprise and pride. “I'll be damned...” He still stared at the screen and listened in. Then he laughed.  
“She could've mentioned they were planning on making her a spectre.” He said.  
“She didn't say?” Stevenson said in surprise.  
“Not a word. Damn it, there I lost my place as the most successful sibling. I'll never live this one down.” He groaned with realization. “She's going to be so smug!”  
Peyton and Stevenson laughed. Then Stevenson asked “So it's 'littlesister' I take it then?”  
But Shepard shook his head. “Twin. She hated me after Torfan, since I passed her in glory.” He added in a light mockery tone and laughed. “Should've guessed she would come up with something like this.” 

He and Tracy had been neck to neck through their whole military carrier. They had signed up together on their eighteenth birthday. After the whole deal with the Skyllian Blitz they had both been approached as N7-candidates. So they had undergone training together. Spurring each other on, and helping each other out when needed. Now he had been in the lead of their little competion since he had command over his own cruiser. She had been named XO on Anderson's new ship. It was technically a step below his position, but he had to admitt he had been a tiny bit jealous. Working with Anderson, who had been their mentor from the start, would've been a dream come true. The posting was also on the new top of the line stealth frigade, built in cooperation with the Turian Hierarchy. And now she had gone and become the first human Spectre. He was never going to be able to top that. 

He ordered three rudely overpriced drinks for them, and when they got them he raised his own glas.  
“A toast then. To my obnoxious sister, who will be an even bigger pain in the ass after this. Tiny Tracy Shepard, the first human Spectre.” He said and drained his glas in one swig.  
“Who's tab should I put it on?” The bartender asked him.  
“Put them on _Commander Shepard_.” He said with a smirk.


End file.
